Oveehead tbolley system



Patented July 29, 1924.

UNTED STATES istanza PATENT Yortica.

OSMUND IJI. JORSTAD, OF EAST' PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR yTO WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND IvIANUFACT-U'RING COMPANY, A CORPORATION lOF PENNSYLVANIA.

OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEM.

Application filed April 7, 1,9722.` Serial No. 550,361.

To all whom t may concern.' n

Be it known that I, OsMUND M. JoRs'rAD,

a citizen oi the United States, and a resident My invention relates to overhead trolley systems and it has particular relation lto those systems having relatively long disl tances between supporting tow-ers or structures.

One object of my invention is to provide an overhead trolley system, adapted for railway work, that may properly employ the same size and weight of towers, or supporting structures, on curves that are employed on tangent portions of the track.

Another object of my invention is to provide an overhead trolley system of trolley construction having the main supporting structures an equal distance apart, regardless ot the degree of curvature in the trackV Another object of my invention is to provide an overhead trolley system that will have all the vertical load carried by the main supporting structures or towers and all horizontal load taken by posts, independently of the main supporting structures.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an overhead trolley system that will be simple, economical and rugged in con struction and positive and reliable in operation.

Brietly speaking, my invention consists in suspending the main cable, or a messenger cable, from the main supporting` structures, or towers, and employing pull-ctip posts at suitable intervals between the towers to provide for the horizontal load upon the trolley system at curved portions of the track.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be made to the accomvp anying drawing;-

Figure 1v of which is a plan view of an overhead trolley system constructed in acccrdance with my invention;` y

Fig. 2' is a plan view, similar to that of Fig. 1, but on a considerably larger scale;

Figs. 3 and 4t are views, in side elevation, of'portions ofthe trolley system illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing;

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation and in secion, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; anc

Fig. 6 is aside elevational view of a modilied form of overhead trolley system con struc ted in accordance with my Vinvention'.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawing, a plurality of overhead contact wires 1, 2 and 3 are supported by means of messenger cables 4l, to which they are attached by means of a plurality of hangers 5. The messenger cables 4 areeach supported by means or' a main cable 6 that is secured to a plurality of towers or main supporting structures 7, 8, 9 and 10 by means of suitable insulators 11. The structures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are of the same size, shape and weight and any or" them may be employed on curved portions of the track as well as on tangent portions.

The combined horizontal or radial pull of the contact wires 1, 2 and 3, messenger cables t and main cables 6 is carried to ground by means of a plurality of pull-off wires 12 and pull-ott posts 13 which are positioned at the quarter points between towers and at the outer side of the track having the least degree of curvature. Suitable insulators 14 are positioned in the pull-ott wires 12 to insulate one contact wire and its V,supporting cable 6 and messenger cable l from another contact wire where such insulation is considered desirable. Steady strains 16 (see Fig. 5) are provided at the posts 13` for more rigidly securing the contact wires 1, 2 and 3 in their proper horizontal positions.

Fig. 4t illustrates the manner in which the horizontal pull of the trolley system is transmitted to ground at points where the contact wire 1 and messenger cable 4; are interchangeable. Such a system is fully described in the patent a plication of P. M. McGee, Serial No. 52 ,593, filed J an. 7, 1922, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric t ManufacturingCo.

By having the horizontal stress carried by the pull-ott posts 13, instead of the towers 7, 8 and 9, a great saving is effected in the weight ot' the tower structui'es. As the highest of the pull-oit wires 12 is substantially six feet below the insulators 11 on the supporting towers, the turning moment caused by the horizontal curvature in the trolley system is lessened by the reduced lever arin at which the horizontal force acts and thus the guide posts 13 need not be made to withstand as great a load as the main structures would be required to withstand if the horizontal stress were carried by the main supporting structures. It is also advantageous to have all the towers of the same size and shape, thereby eieeting a saving when they are manufactured in large quantities and also eliminating the possibility of incorrect shipments of towers of dissimilar types to points where the system is being constructed.

The trolley system shown in Fig. 2 illustrates the tower 10 as carrying a 'portion of the horizontal stress of the overhead trolley system. It is, of course, appr ciated that a portion ot the horizontal stress of the trolley system might be carried by the towers without greatly increasing their weight. In fact, it might prove advantageous to permit the towers to carry some horizontal load, if the horizontal load be sufficiently small that it would not be the governing feature ot the design of the tower. However, such a system is intended to be within the scope of my invention it the greater portion ot the horizontal stress is carried to ground by means corresponding to the pull-ofi:l posts 13.

Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawing, which illustrates a simpliiied form of overhead trolley system in which the distance between spans is such as to make it unneiessary to employ a main cable 6, the messenger cables 4 are attached directly to the main supporting structures 9 and 10 by means of insulators 1l and the horizontal stress in the. messenger cables el is carried to ground by means ot' the pull-oit wires 12 and pull-off posts 13.

It is to be understood that slight variations in the distance between towers may be made without departing from the spirit et my invention, but it is considered most advantageous to space the towers equal distances apart on both the tangent and curved portions of the tracks.

By spacing the towers relatively great distances apart, an engineer will have a better vision of the track than has heretofore been secured where overhead trolley systems has been employed on curves.

Thile I have illustrated my invention in the preferred form, it is apparent that modifications may be made in the arrangement ot the system without departing Jfrom the spirit ol my invention. I desire, therefore, to be limited only by the scope ot the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact conductor, means comprising a messenger conductor for supporting said contact conductor, means for securing said messenger conductor to said structures, and means independent of said structures for taking a portion of the horizontal pull of said messenger conductor.

2. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality ci main supporting structures, ol a contact conductor, means coniiprising a messenger conductor for suppoiting said Contact conductor, means or securing said messenger conductor to said structures, and means independent et said structures for taking all oi the horizontal pull of said messenger conductor.

3. In an overhead trolley system, the tombination with a plurality ot main support.- ing structures, of a contact wire, means comprising a messenger cable for supporting said wire, means for securing said messenger cable to said structure, and means comprising a pull-off post for transmitting the horizontal pull of said mess-enger cable to ground. i

4. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a. plurality of main supporting structures, of a Contact conductor, means for vertically supporting said conductor by attaching it to said structures, and means independent of said structures for transmitting a portion of the horizontal pull of said conductor to ground.

5. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a. plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, means iter vertically supporting said wire by attaching it to said structures, and means independent of said structures lor transmi ting the horizontal pull of said wire to grrund.

6. In an overhead trolley system, the coinbination with a plurality ot main equally spaced supporting structures, ot a contact wire supported by said structures, and means independent of said structures Ytor taking all ot the horizontal pull of said wire where said structures are in anO'iilar relation.

7. In an overhead trolley system, Vthe combination with a plurality et' equally spaced main supporting structures, oi"- a contactwire supported verticallyV by said structures, and means other than said structures for suiiiciently removing the horizontal pull ot said contact wire from said structures to maintain theV same spacing between said structures on' curved as upon tangentportions of the system without changing the weightl oiI said' structures.

8. In an' overhead 'trolley system', the combination with a plurality of equally spaeed main supporting structures, of a Contact wire supported vertically by`- said structures, and independent means comprising a plurality of pull-onQ posts for sufficiently removing the horizontal pull of said contact wire from said structures to maintain the same spacing between said structures on curved as upon tangent portions of the system without changing the weight oit said structures.

9. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, means for supporting said wire by attaching it to said structures and means comprising a plurality of posts mounted at the quarter points between said structuresgfor balancing the radial pull of said contact wire on curves.

10. In an overhead trolley system, the combination With a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, a messenger cable for supporting said wire, a plurality of hangers for mechanically connecting said messenger cable to said wire, means for mounting said messenger cable on said structures, a post positioned between said structures and means comprising a pull-on" wire for mechanically connecting said con-` tact wire to said post.

11. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, a messenger cable for supporting said wire, a plurality of hangers for mechanically connecting said messengery cable to said wire, means for mounting said messenger cable on said structures, a plurality of posts positioned between' said structures, and means comprising a plurality of pull-olf Wires for mechanically connecting said contact wire and messenger cable to said posts.

12. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact Wire, a messenger cable, means for mechanically connecting saidrwire to said messenger cable, a Y

main cable, means for attaching said main cable to said structures, and means independent of said. structures for transmitting the horizontal pull of said Wire, messenger cable and main cable to ground.

13. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main Supporting structures, of a contact wire, messenger cable, means for mechanically connecting said Wire to said messenger cable, a main cable, means for attaching said main cable t'oA said structures, and means independent of said! str'uc'tures` for transmitting a portionof therherizontalpull of said wire, messenger cable and main cable to ground.

1&1.' In an overhead trolley system, the combination' with a-plurality of main'supporting'structu-res, of a contact wire, amess'e'nger cable, means for' mechanically connecting said messenger cable to said wire, a main cable, means for attaching said main cable to said structures, and means comprising a post independent of said structure for transmitting the horizontal pull of said wire, messenger cable and main cable to ground. V

15. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, a messenger cable, means ktor mechanically connecting said messenger cable to said wire, a main cable, means for attaching said main cable to said structures, and means comprising a plurality of posts spaced at the` quarter points between said structures for transmitting the radial pull of said wire, messenger cable and main cable to ground.

16. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, a messenger cable, a plurality of hangers for suspending said wire from said messenger cable, a main cable for supporting said messenger cable, means for attaching said main cable to said structures, and means comprising a post between said structures and a pull-off wire for transmitting the radial pull of said main cable to said post.

17. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact wire, a messenger cable, a plurality of hangers for suspending said wire from said messenger cable, a main cable for supporting said messenger cable, means for attaching said main cable to said structures, means comprising a post between said ystructures and a plurality of pull-off wires for transmitting the radial pull of said main cable and said messenger cable to said post. y

18. In an overhead trolley system, the combination with a plurality of main supporting structures, of a contact Wire, a messenger cable, a plurality of hangers Jfor suspending said wire from said messenger cable, a main cable for supporting said mese senger cable, means Jfor suspending said main cable from said structures, means comprising a plurality of posts between said structures, and means comprising a plurality of pull-olf wires for transmitting the radial pull of said contact` wires, messenger cable and main cable to said posts.

19. In an overhead trolley system, the

combination with a plurality of main supmain cable, and means comprising a post porting structures, of a plurality of conduefor transmitting the radial pull of said con- 10 tors each of Which alternately serves as a duetors and main Cable to ground.

Contact Wire and messenger cable, means for In testimony whereof, I have hereunto supporting said Conductors one from ansubscribed my name this 27th day of March other, a Inan cable, means for suspending 1922,

said main cable from said structures, means for suspending said conductors from said OSMUND JORSTAD. 

